LETTER: N.D.’s ‘most dangerous legislation ever’

GRAND FORKS — I must respond to the misleading claims made by Judy Stahl in her letter (“N.D. Constitution needs Right to Life Amendment,” Page F2, July 6).

Stahl tries to gloss over the many disastrous effects that Measure 1 would inflict on North Dakotans.

She begins by saying, “Measure 1 itself does not make law but instead gives standards to which any laws passed by the Legislature must conform.” This shows a gross misunderstanding of constitutional law.

The North Dakota Constitution is the basis for all laws in North Dakota. So, the amendment would supersede any law that has been passed regarding human life.

Stahl claims that this would protect North Dakotans from activist judges. But history shows that “activist judge” tends to be a label gets applied to a jurist who wants to make sure everyone has the rights described in the U.S. Constitution.

Activist judges are the judges who ended segregation and voter discrimination and gave women their rights under the U.S. Constitution, just to name a few.

Next, Stahl claims Measure 1 would not affect end-of-life decisions. She could not be more wrong. To give just one example, if a person states in a living will that he or she does not want to be resuscitated after a certain point, Measure 1 would force the doctor to perform these actions, because failing to do so would directly violate the new amendment.

Let us be 100 percent clear: If Measure 1 passes, the government will be involved in North Dakotans’ health care decisions from the moment an egg is fertilized until people are in the twilight of their days, with only the wish to peacefully meet their creator.

Measure 1 is so intrusive that if you are a woman who’s pregnant, and you suffer the horrible misfortune of a miscarriage, the police will be forced to investigate to make sure you are not “guilty” of causing the event.

Measure 1 represents the most dangerous piece of legislation ever proposed in North Dakota. It’s everything we North Dakotans are against.